Author Archives: cjprecht

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Laboratory Construction

Section 61(b) of enacted 2021 SB 159 directs the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to issue a request for proposal (RFP) in FY 2022 to construct or renovate a building and equip a KDHE laboratory located within an 8-mile radius of the Capitol Complex in Topeka. The bill directs the Joint Committee on State Building Construction (Committee) to review these proposals and make recommendations to the State Finance Council concerning the laboratory.

Section 61(b) of enacted 2021 SB 159 also authorizes the issuance of bonds for capital improvement projects, not to exceed $65.0 million, for the KDHE laboratory.

Electric Utility Rates

The Kansas Legislature has sought to address the issue of increasing electricity rates in recent legislative sessions. This memorandum provides an overview of measures undertaken by stakeholders and legislative leaders to study and make recommendations on rising electricity costs.

Foster Care Services and Child in Need of Care Proceedings

Foster care services are provided when the court finds a child to be in need of care pursuant to the Revised Kansas Code for the Care of Children (CINC Code; KSA 38-2201 to 38-2283). Child in Need of Care (CINC) proceedings can be divided into two categories: those concerning children who lack adequate parental care or control, or have been abused or abandoned; and those concerning children who commit certain offenses listed in KSA 38-2202(d)(6)-(10). This memorandum focuses on the first category.

Prison Review Board

The Prisoner Review Board (Board) is the releasing authority for incarcerated offenders who have committed the most serious, heinous, and detrimental acts against society. The Board also performs a variety of additional functions in the Kansas criminal justice system. As an integral part of the Kansas criminal justice system and consistent with the agency mission, the Board continually strives to provide for public safety through its work with offenders, corrections professionals, victims, families, the public, law enforcement officials, and other criminal justice stakeholders. This memorandum reviews the role of Board, and parole and clemency procedures as they relate to the board.

Historical Tax Amnesty

This memorandum provides a summary of the tax amnesty legislation passed by the 2015 Legislature that allowed individuals who were delinquent on their taxes on or before December 31, 2013, to have penalties and interest waived on all delinquent payments during a prescribed window of time in 2015. This program was similar to one enacted by the Legislature in 2010.

Streamlined Sales and Use Tax

The Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) is a multi-state cooperative agreement intended to simplify the administration of state sales tax systems and encourage remote sellers to collect and remit sales and use taxes. Since 2003, 24 states have enacted SSUTA-conforming laws. Kansas was the first state with effective conforming legislation.

Community Supervision

In Kansas, three entities comprise the community supervision structure: Court Services, Community Corrections, and Parole Services. Parole Services supervises offenders released from Kansas correctional facilities on parole, post-release supervision, or conditional release. This memorandum will focus on the functions of Court Services and Community Corrections and how they compare to each other.

Budget Neutrality in KanCare

KanCare is the program through which Kansas delivers Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that provides health and long-term care services to qualifying individuals. If states wish to waive certain federal requirements in order to carry out new initiatives, they can submit an application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Medicaid. CMS may waive compliance with certain Medicaid requirements under Section 1115(a) of the Social Security Act. This is known as a “1115 waiver.”